The approach of the new year got all of us thinking about the past 12 months' highlights -- from successes in cancer research to memorable Justin Bieber moments. But for me, personally, the final days of 2012 were a sneak peak at an exciting new professional beginning: taking the helm as managing editor for blogs here at HuffPost Canada. In three working days alone, I saw news stories, photos and blog posts fly in on topics as diverse as the Idle No More movement, lingerie-clad models and Boxing Day sales. HuffPost is a frenetic and lively conversation, and I look forward to both helping steward it and diving headlong into it myself.

In an attempt at introduction in the meantime, though, this is what has impressed me most so far: HuffPost bloggers do not all sing from the same song sheet. While one calls out the NRA, another insists that guns aren't the root of our violence problem. While Liberal leadership hopeful Justin Trudeau shares the words he delivered to an Islamic conference, terrorism expert David B. Harris sounds the alarm about the company the Liberal politician is keeping at the same event. While Naomi Klein makes a passionate case in support of Chief Theresa Spence's hunger strike, media critic J.J. McCullough takes a cynical look at coverage of the aboriginal issue -- and wonders if it isn't being co-opted for commentators' own purposes.

That diversity of opinion is a large part of what drew me here, and I suspect it's part of what draws you too. We need to hear a range of voices to form our own opinions and challenge our own beliefs. And this busy, bustling, opinion-filled site is the place to do it.

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